California Senate Bill 687 is an important education bill that
should promptly pass into law.
Introduced by state Senator Joe Simitian, SB 687 would require
individual schools to publish how much they spend on teacher
salaries and other per-pupil costs.
Under current law, only school districts are required to report
the budgets and expenses, while individual schools can hide behind
the more generalized district reports. The result is that there can
be significant spending inequalities between schools and within
school districts.
For example, a study by the Education Trust-West found that
“low-minority” high schools spend an average of
$472,152 more than “high-minority” high schools.
Similarly, a Chicago Tribune analysis found that some Chicago
schools spent as little as $4,953 per pupil, while others spent as
much as $8,177.
Without full public disclosure, it is difficult for parents and
researchers to hold school officials accountable for spending
practices. SB 687 would give Californians a helpful tool to make
sure all students have equal access to the resources they
deserve.